I am very proud to announce that from now on my art is represented by Metropolitan
Gallery & Gregs Gallery in Hamburg HafenCity and Timmendorfer Strand - Germany.
Metropolitan Gallery & Greg's Gallery in Hamburg HafenCity recently opened its doors,
with a grand opening show of the breathtaking art of Lita Cabellut.
The galleries are situated next to eachother in the heart of Hamburgs thriving
HafenCity. Although it might feel like entering a museum, of course entrance is free
and you are warmly welcomed by Greg and his wonderful team. No pressure to buy, feel
free to enter and enjoy the awesome collection of art! In the gallery in Timmerdorfer
Strand (situated at the East Sea or Baltic Sea) you can find a diversity of great art
as well, and the philosophy is the same as in Hamburg.
I am working very hard on a new series of paintings. I can't show any
new results right now, because I am saving them for the upcoming solo
exhibition at Galerie De Kei in Nuenen, The Netherlands which will take
place from March 8 until April 13. However, a few very detailed
close-ups won't do any harm.
Furthermore I am very busy with several paintings on commission.
So no time to lose! :)
A very healthy, good, successful and filled-with-lots-of-laughter 2015!!!!
I am very pleased to announce that both auctions for a good cause were successful!
The Art-print which was auctioned for 3FM Serious Request raised €775,00, which really is much more than I could have imagined!
The portret on commission for Linda.Foundation made €1700. Not as much as the usual price, but nevertheless a lot of money.
I am really happy to have been able to help other people this way.
Thanks to the people who made the biddings and thank-you-so-much to the people who made the highest bids.
That's why I want to
give something back to the world.
I offered an Art Print for auction to 3FM Serious Request. They raise
money for girls and women who have been sexually abused all over the
world. You can still bid on it for 2 more days!
And you can bid on a portret of you (your beloved one or an idol)
made by me on LINDA.Foundation, which supports poor children in The
Netherlands.
LINDA FOUNDATION VEILING / AUCTION LINK >
From Friday December 12, until Monday December 15 my art is represented by Galerie De Kei on the ART SQUARE of Excellent Fair, Rotterdam. A large number of high quality galleries represents their art on this luxurious lifestyle fair of more than 20.000 m2 in Ahoy Rotterdam. For more info check HERE
In less than 2 weeks, only 100 pieces numbered and signed by Anouk and me, completely sold out. I received a lot of lovely reactions! THANKS a lot to everyone!!
Thank you very much Gilbert Roque of My Creative Side for this video of my figurative paintings of the 'Perfect Imperfections' series! Text by Adele Tilouine. And I am proud that the images of my work are accompanied by the music of my dear friend Edith Progue
Following to the release of the 9th album 'Anouk - Paradise And Back
Again' (I painted the cover), upward of November 22 a selection of my paintings will be exhibited and for
sale at Gallery 238, Brouwersgracht 238, 1013 HE in Amsterdam www.gallery238.com
Gallery238 focuses onmodern Westernand ChineseArts.Top art.Especiallyoriginal works (in this timeofcopy-page,copypage, copy-page.....).Many of the artistsGallery238 represents,are artiststheyhave beencooperatingwith since a long time:Lita Cabellut,ZhuangHongYi,ColeMorgan,KantchoKanev,Gerriet Postma, SusanSchildkamp,ToyinLoye, IvoNijsand LuLuo, but alsoyounger(Chinese) artistsare brought byGallery238.In addition, thegalleryalso featuresdifferent (original)work byCobra artistssuch asKarel Appel, Corneille, Constant,Eugene BrandsandAllechinsky.Alsothe gallerycan rely onthecollaboration of several(inter)nationaltopgalleries.
Opening hours:
Thursday until Saturday: 12.30-17.30hours Sunday: 13-18.00 hours
An example of the (not signed here) Fine Art Print 70x100 cm
Collectors Item - Exclusive Fine Art Print - 100 pieces only!!!
I
am proud to announce the launch of a numbered and signed Fine Art Print
in unique collaboration with the famous dutch singer songwriter Anouk.
Signed by both artists in an exclusive series of only 100 pieces.
Printed with high-quality ink on special paper. (more technical info can be found on the order page)
The print is an image of the entire painting which is used for the cover of Anouk's new album 'Paradise And Back Again'.
ONLINE SALES start SATURDAY November 22 09.00 hours (CET).
Recently my art has been added to the art collection of Creutzberg | Van Dun Galleries in Oisterwijk, The Netherlands.
Besides their stunning art (to view and for sale of course) the gallery itself is worthwhile visiting. Housed in anineteenth-century national monument of more than600m2, an international selection oftopartists is shown. After a welcome in thebarof the gallerywith a cup ofcoffee, teaor anythingelse to drink, you can next view the sculptures, the vastcollection of paintings,photographs and(glass) and takea little walkthrough the garden with sculpturesorlook further intothe workof the artistsat the reading tableof the gallery.
The opening hours of the gallery are Wednesday until Sunday 12.00-18.00 hours Address: The Lind 39-41, Oisterwijk, The Netherlands http://galleries-cd.com
At the beginning of March this year, the manager of Anouk (THE rock star of the Netherlands who is also very well known internationally) approached me, to ask me if I was interested in painting a portrait of Anouk.
This painting would become the cover of her new album, a huge honor! It
was both a challenge and a FANTASTIC assignment! When I showed Anouk
the result, she immediately loved it, which made me extremely happy! The
album was scheduled to be released in November, so I had to keep my
mouth firmly shut!!
But now it is out in the open! Last Wednesday, Anouk herself revealed the cover on her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The international media immediately spread the news.
I am completely overwhelmed by the wonderful reactions that Anouk, as
well as I, have been receiving ever since.
About half of the original painting (90x150x4 cm) is shown on the cover.
A special scan of the artwork will be made, which will be available as a
Limited Edition Fine Art Print in 2 sizes. As soon as I receive the
prices, I will announce this, so you can pre-order if you are
interested!.
I am working on several very large abstract paintings.
It's a challenge to create large size paintings in my recognizable
style. I have to adapt the movements, to achieve the same result. It's
really fun and I will continue to expand the new MONUMENTAL-series
On a regular basis I receive mails from students all
over the world, with questions on my work. Replying them cost me a lot
of time. Since I do not want to disappoint anyone, I always do reply.
But from now on, one can check this blogpost, which I will complement
with new Q&A's every now and then.
1. Q: How do you design your paintings?
A: My abstract paintings arise on the canvas layer by
layer. No sketches! My figurative paintings are based on sketches and
pictures. 2. Q: What tools do you use to get the different textures?
A: I use brushes, palette knives and my hands. 3. Q: How do you come with the names for your paintings?
A: They arise during creation of the painting. 4. Q: Why do you have features that are realistic and parts that are abstract?
A: For the simple reason that I like to create both! 5. Q. What paint do you use?
A: I use acrylics 6. Q: Do you also use a medium to make the paint thicker?
A: No, and don't use a medium.
7: Q: Can you post a video to show how you work?
A: No.
8.Q: What does art mean to you?
A: My life. I can't live without. It makes everything
more beautiful, meaningful. And by creating it myself, I can express
myself.
9. Q: When did you discover art?
A: I grew up with it. My father is an artist as well. It went playfully. 10. Q: According to you, are there any limits on art?
A: Yes and No! Yes, because some say something is art,
when to me it is nothing more than putter-work. Yes, because some
declare something to be a piece of art, which is totally
incomprehensible to others. For example, a piece of rope, hanging down
from the ceiling, amplified with some bullshit story. To me that is not
art. NO (and now I am contradicting myself), because everything should
be possible. If you observe the world the an open mind, there is so
much more to discover! NO, because I myself, always say that there are
no bounderies on my work, nor what it has to depict.
11. Q: Does your mood influence the work you are creating? Or is the other way around?
A: What's going on in my body and mind, I express with
paint on canvas. It's not only my job, it works also therapeutical. I
only get moody, if I can't manage to express it in the proper way. But
most of the time that is not the case!
12. Q: Do you works come from a fantasy, or is it a copy of reality?
A. Both. The abstract works are no fantasy. It just
arises, from the urge to express 'my reality' with paint on canvas.
Next it is to the spectator, to use his/her imagination. The figurative
works are fantasy, but partially based on reality. 13. Q: Do you experience fantasy as a kind of lust.
A: I do think so, yes. 14. Q: In the 60's art started to appear in
tv-commercials. Do you think commercials are art? Do you think art can
be used for commercials?
A: Commercials are no art, it is pure marketing. But it absolutely can be made very artfully!
15. Q: Do you think the value of art is always equal to the financial value it sometimes gets?
A: Absolutely not. Sometimes a piece of art is worth much more, than what someone wants to pay for it. But
most of the time, it is the other way around. Works of old masters and a
select group of contemporary artists often are sold, through auctions,
for disproportionate high values. In my opinion they may be worth a lot, but the millions and billions that are now issued for this are completely insane.
´Muse Over Soon´ is finally ready. It took me many many
hours, and lots of paint in many layers to create this
painting. I've had moments that I wanted to give up.
What I had in my head, did not arise on the canvas. The composition was
good, but the execution was not satisfying to me. In
common I have little patience. But my figurative
paintings 'train me' to build more patience. 'Good' is not
good enough. It needs to be perfect! And that takes a lot of
perseverance, time and energy!
I
created a few great paintings and not only that... many paintings have
found a new home in various countries. Which pleases me a lot!!! :D
Now
there's the challenge to create new ones, in the Figurative series
'Perfect Imperfections' and 'Dynamic Abstracts', because I've got
several exhibitions ahead of me!
Today the exhibition in 'Galerie In de Oude School' in Stroe, The Netherlands is opening!
It
will last until April 27, so if you are in the neighborhood, go and
take a look in this beautiful galerie, which once was a school. The old
building looks great, has a lot of great walls and a very passionate
gallery owner!
Galerie In de Oude School, Stroeërschoolweg 6, 3776 MN Stroe, The Netherlands
Detailed close up of a painting under constructioin which is titled: 'Black Shades'. Made sideways!
I work with a lot of layers, and much, very much paint. That is one of the reasons, that my paintings are as attractive sideways, as right in front of them.
Currently I am working without colors... just black. But as you can see here (and this one is still under construction!!), it can be as powerful as with colors!
Yesterday I finished a new painting 'Under Cover'.
It is completely in Black & White. The color you see in the right corner is from my palette.
This picture is taken from the side, so you can see the thickness of the paint.
The entire painting can be seen on my website.
Since the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, in April 2013, opened its doors again (after being closed due to restoration during 10 years!!!!!!) I wanted to visit it again.. But always there was a reason I could not go. No more excuses now, I just HAD to go!
So on an ordinary Thursday in January I went to the Rijksmuseum. I thought it would not be very crowded. Misconception... it was loaded! Especially at Rembrandt's 'Nachtwacht'.
However, it is ABSOLUTELY worthwhile to visit this really beautiful museum!!!
What a great collection of art!
One of the greatest museums I have visited uptil now.
Such a huge collection, really overwhelming. Tooo much to like. So I stopped taking pictures. However, this statue of wood of one of the Two Japanese Temple Guards (1300-1400) was fantastic:
And seeing 'Het Joodse bruidje' by Rembrandt in real life, was fantastic as well. I love his use of texture.
Only a few pieces of my favorites in between of many many more!
1... The sun was shining!
2... A lot of new canvases were delivered (linen on aluminium stretchers!)
3... I finished 1 of the 3 paintings I'm currently working on!
Titled: 'The Heat is On.
4... I had a great encounter with a lovely Chinese lady.
Set me thinking...
5... And I got an invitation to exhibit in Amsterdam in a great venue!!!
On a regular basis I receive messages from people, asking me
if I can give them advice about techniques, because they like my art,
and want to achieve the same as I do.
Most of these people paint in
their leisure time, and don't realize that I've been working for years,
day in - day out, to get where I am now, to maintain that and to keep on growing and stay a few steps ahead of the ones who (try to) copy me.
They don't see the sacrifices I had to bring.
I am not complaining, because I LOVE to paint, and I would do it all over again...
But being an artist is not always as romantic as they think it is.
Also... one has no certainties.
No regular deposit of salary every month.
They don't see what the economic crisis did to many artists, me included.
Of course, a lot of people can paint, or think they can paint (I will not discuss the quality) and there's a lot of talent in this world.
However, talent alone is not enough, and everything can be copied easily nowadays.
A true artist, develops his/her own style, immediately recognizable for spectators.
One
needs vision and has to be prepared to live the life of an artist,
which, I can assure you, is not always as romantic as one thinks it is!
So maybe the ones who paint in their spare time, should adjust their expectations, and continue what they do right now. Painting is wonderful and can set your mind free for a while!
Having said all that... for me this is the right path to follow, and it makes me happy.
Sunday December 15 was the opening of my exhibition at Pop-Up Gallery, Kerkstraat 67 in Lommel, Belgium. A lot of people showed up and it was a great success. Also a lot of ART-bags were sold and ordered and the reactions were great!
Since about half a year, the clients of Eethuis Cuchara can enjoy my paintings, during their excellent diner night.
THAT excellent, that MICHELIN has decided to give the restaurant 1 Michelin *.
To me Cuchara is a taste adventure. The food is delicious and totally unexpected.
The compositions are extraordinary and the wine arrangement is perfect.
A lovely staff and a beautiful entourage makes your night out complete.
And yes I am proud that my art is, somehow, part of all this.
Congratulations to Jan Tournier, Master chef of Cuchara!!!
Uptil now, the largest part of the paintings I created this year, were figurative ones. And from the beginning of April, it ONLY were figurative paintings for the series 'Show the Inside on the Outside'.
But it started to itch... The creation of an abstract painting always gives me this feeling of freedom. With figuratives, I always have to remain within the framework. I love to make figuratives paintings though! That is why I decided to alternate more. So I recently finished a painting in the abstract series and currently I am working on a figurative one, while I already set up the subsurface for a new abstract work.
It was a lovely Sunday with beautiful encounters, great reactions, sales and options @ Van Bellen Art in Willemstad, The Netherlands. My solo exhibition shows 10 works from the
figurative series and 7 paintings from the abstract series. The largest part of the figurative
paintings is brand new.
I've been working very hard on these series during the past 5 months.
The main theme for me is to show the inside on the outside. Everyone carries his past with him, and the character one is born with. The image one has carefully build, hides the biggest part of the inner world. With my paintings and carefully chosen colors I create a sort of auras. The rest of the imagination is up to the viewer. Check www.vanbellenart.nl for information on opening hours, address etc...
During the past 3 months I've been working like crazy to create new paintings for my solo exhibition at Van Bellen Art in Willemstad, which will get started on September 8. To create a painting takes a lot of time, and I get impatient myself often.Some- times I wish that only by projecting my ideas on the canvas, the painting would appear. On the other side, it is amazing,every time again, when what I have in my head, really appears on canvas through my hands. Now it is time for a holiday. I hope to meet some of you on the opening of my exhibition at Van Bellen Art. I wish you all a lovely summer!
I've been extremely busy lately, preparing for 2 solo shows later this year. The first one already starts at the beginning of September, at Van Bellen Art, in Willemstad the Netherlands. So I am working my ass off!!! I have to divide my precious time, and that's why I haven't been active on this blog.
Followers of my posts, have seen the blogposts I did on the movie/documentary on Jean Marc Calvet, my fellow artist and friend. Finally the documentary came to Paris, as well as his solo exhibition. Since I lived in Paris for a while, I still go there every year to visit my friends... and this time I combined it with the screening of the Calvet movie at the Majestic Bastille and the opening of his solo show at Galerie Mark Hachem on the beautiful Place des Vosges, in the presence of Jean Marc Calvet, Dominic Allan (the director) and Edith Progue (Soundtrack). All friends of me, and I am very proud of them. Above and below some pictures...
BUT ALSO.... if you've become curious of the movie, check the link below, because you can watch the stunning documentary at home:
"CALVET Special Edition DVD - over 100 minutes of free extras & unseen footage Clic BUY MOVIE - get DVD + Stream film online for free! http://calvetmovie.com/
Last Friday it was the opening of my exhibition at Galerie Radeski.
A large number of my paintings, figuratives as well as abstracts, are presented on this show. Not only my art is there, but also the wonderful AND colourful art of Abelardo Hernandez, Arthur Dorval and Eelco Maan, a.o. I am very pleased to be working with Galerie Radeski, with their wonderful collection of artists. It was a very nice evening, and I feel really overwhelmed by all the compliments, and it was SO nice to meet some of my art-collectors, 'old' art lovers, and new art lovers!!! Thanks!!!
The show runs until June 2. Galerie Radeski, 69, Boulevard D'Avroy, 4000 Liège, Belgium, www.galerieradeski.be
Recently I started working with Gallery Radeski, Boulevard D'Avroy, 69 in Liège, Belgium.
You
are warmly invited to the OPENING of my exhibition on APRIL 19, from 18
- 21.00 hours, in this beautiful gallery, filled with art of top
artists.
I will be attending the opening as well.
The exhibition will last until June 2.
For more information and opening hous check: http://www.galerieradeski.be/
(currently the website is under construction again)
Besides my abstract and figurative paintings, you can also admire the colourful works of Abelardo Hernandez and Anthony Dorval.
I have to throw this out: WHY is the Western world
maintaining the importance and power of a pope, while at the same time
the Vatican probably is the most corrupt state in the world??? And it has been from time immemorial!
The Vatican is constructed by and on lies, intriges, blood money, secrets and sexual abuse.... It
makes propaganda to reject gay sexuality, while in actual fact toooo
many priests, bisshops, cardinals, and other species in the church assault each other and/or young innocent children! It
is SO afraid of women, that it has always suppressed them... and there
is absolutely no question that a woman could be a priest.
Sinces centuries the Vatican tells us stories which are not true. Jesus would turn over in his grave if he knew what we are told, from his name.
Since
the number of believers is decreasing, I don't understand at all, why
the media makes so much fuzz about the election of a new pope, nor what
he is telling us.
Or is it, because the media don't have anything else to tell us? Or..... do the media get PAYED by the Vatican to publish their rubbish?? ??????
I started a new series, Rhythm, and the first new painting in this series is called: Rhythm & Reds. Yessss..... with a wink at 'Rhythm & Blues'. On
this picture, one can see, how I alternate the constructive phase, with
the detailed phase, next again the constructive phase, before finally
really ending with the detailed phase. While using palette knives, brushes and fingers, I build and sculpt my paintings.
The image of the final painting, you can find on my website, or on my FB page.
During the auction, I added 2 more small paintings: Tiny-Est no. 3 and Tiny-Est no. 4.
The auction is closed, and every item has been sold for a nice price. So I am happy with it! The total yield is absolutely peanuts in comparison with the loss of my friends (because of Sandy, the insurances, the banks and the government), but they are very grateful! SPECIAL THANKS to all participants in this auction. I am really grateful! The original paintings are going to Switzerland, USA, Dubai, The Netherlands and Belgium. Both limited edition fine art prints are going to the USA and The Netherlands. The signed posters are going to the USA, Spain, France and The Netherlands.
3 small original paintings - 2 Limited Edition Fine Art Prints, 1 poster (5 pcs)
They
lived on Long Island, New York. Their first loss was because of Sandy,
NEXT because of the insurances, THIRD because of the banks, and last but
not least....because the system stinks.
Check THIS link, and click on each picture to see what the starting price is, and what bid has been made.
Bidding starts NOW and ends on
February 8, 2013, 00.00 hours CET.
You can send me a message with the
painting/print of your choice and the amount you want to bid, on my personal e-mail: mail@estherbarend.eu or through my FACEBOOK message box .
'Imagine you wake up tomorrow morning. And everything you own is gone.
Your home, car, all your belongings, everything you worked for your
whole adult life. You spend the next couple weeks camped out on a
friends couch. You spend your days tearing down your walls and ripping
up your floors because they are septic. Due to mold and sewage. You bag
up hundreds of industrial size garbage bags of of your hard earned
belongings and memories and put them on the curb for the dump. The weeks
turn into months. You rent a place but are still paying a mortgage and
tax's for a place you can not live in. Your insurance company who you
have paid for decades nickels and dimes you. And even if they pay ( and
its the least they have to ) the bank may hold or refuse to cash the
check so you can start to rebuild. Then your told after all this you may
( there's a good chance have to elevate your home six to ten feet at a
cost of seventy to eighty thousand dollars. So you may want to consider
delaying any rebuilding until after that's resolved which could take a
couple years. Now imagine this what I just said may well be your best
case scenario . That's what the people in my community are dealing with
day after day. These are not irresponsible people they just happened to
be in the target path of a storm named Sandy. Now they are being run
over by incompetent bureaucracy and greedy banks and insurance
company's. Now you may not think this is your problem. And I hope it
never is. But if it does you will understand how the people in New
Orleans and New York, Conn,and New Jersey feel. Good luck with your
faith in the system...'
We are living in a fast
society. Every day millions of images, logos and texts come rushing by.
Since the entrance of Facebook to the internet, it has been multiplied
x1000... or even more.
It is a luxury problem and we are spoiled through it. We set ever higher aims all the time. Action movies need MORE action and more images than ever before! Games need to be more explosive, need more action and more images which are sharper than your eyes can digest, etc...
Artists and art lovers check the internet and facebook, and see come by thousands of images every day.
Amongst them BEAUTIFUL pictures, which are sometimes breathtaking and
stunning. But the next day, one needs a new shot of even more interesting
images again. Of course, internet is a wonderful phenomena! We
can instantly visit every place in the world, see and share all those
beautiful things, without travelling for hours, without spending a lot
of money, etc...
Looking to small pictures of art on the internet, absolutely can not be compared to experiencing a piece of art in reality. One
can't really immerse in it, and does not feel the immensity, the
shivers, the humbleness and other upcoming emotions in the same way. People don't pay a lot of attention to a beautiful piece of art on the internet. We digest a picture of a piece of art, within a few seconds, before we get hungry for another one again.
This really is a pity.
The american professor in art education
Terry Barrett, composed 3 questions, which help us refelect and discuss a
piece of art, which is the main goal of art! (Thank you Bregje van der Laar, who does tours in the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam - The Netherlands, for pointing out). 1. What do I see? 2. What is it about?
3. How do I know?
By asking oneself these questions, and sharing answers with one another, people come to new insights.
The questions lead from (mindless) watching to thinking and give meaning to.
I have noticed that, while looking at e.g. a painting, while
asking myself those 3 questions, the painting gets a lot more
interesting. It does not have to become pompous/stilted (not for me anyway, I reject pompous).
I get more attracted, want to dig deeper, know more. It becomes a matter of the soul. I even think, I get to understand the creator better.
The painting gets more attractive by looking at it, from different points of view. The three questions help with that! Of
course, when you ask yourself those 3 questions, facing a piece of art
in reality, it works the same. It becomes more attractive.
Stop the mindless watching, and start enjoying!!!!
Want to know more? Check http://www.terrybarrettosu.com/
'Chapeau! With sheer royal verve!' 60x80x4 cm | 24x31x1,5 inch, acrylic on canvas (as usual)
If you do not recognize or know her: this is my interpretation of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. The NOS (dutch television) has a contest for a portrait of the Queen. The best ones will be selected for an exhibition in Paleis Het Loo, in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
It was quite a challenge to catch her. But it was fun too! My explanation about how I constructed the painting is as follows: I made the background on purpose quite rough, and next made it come back in the foreground, just like Beatrix' background matters in the present. Beatrix is glowing, proud, enthusiastic and openly. Her hat represents her life: a combination of the past (background which also is in the foreground), to the present (thick layers), dynamic movements (turbulent times), warm colours (enthusiasm and passionate). Nothingstands alone, everything isintertwined.
Truly, it is an enormous compliment when other artists, in training, emerging, established or hobbyist, are inspired by my work. It gives meaning to my existence and to what I do. I often receive visits on my website from art schools all over the world, and it makes me happy! I truly hope the students can learn something of how my paintings are put together. However, when people are trying to copy my work, because they don't have enough imagination of their own, it does annoy me.
How unsatisfying it must be to only copy, especially when you have enough talent of your own! If it is for reasons to learn and develop, it is okay. However, if one keeps on copying... NAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! What about your own input? What about creating your own style? A true artist has a style of his/her own. Copying most of the time only happens for financial reasons. It's always about the money. YUK!!!!!
I feel pity for those who only copy. They NEVER experience the feeling that often comes over me. It is unexplainable how it feels when another great piece of art rises from under my hands and brushes. The only word that comes near is EUPHORIA